lex woke up to find herself lying on cale's chest on the couch. he must have moved them after she'd lost consciousness, she realized, and then frowned at the fact that she apparently hadn't even stirred when he'd moved her.

biting her lip, she lay still for several minutes, trying to figure out what had just happened and what it meant. not that she didn't know she'd just had mind-blowing sex on the desk in the office of her new restaurant with her business manager, there was no denying that. what she didn't understand was how powerful and overwhelming it had been.

was it just the aftereffects of her head trauma? sex wasn't normally that all-consuming for her, and she had never before blacked out like an alcoholic after a three-day binge. more important to her than all of that,however, was the question of how she was supposed to face him now.

"i'm awake. you don't have to lie still for fear of waking me."

that whisper from cale was accompanied by his hand smoothing over her back, and alex stiffened where she lay. he had completely misconstrued her stillness ... and that was probably a good thing, she decided. she was supposed to be a grown-up modern woman, not some shrinking violet afraid to face up to what she'd done. forcing herself to move, alex braced her hands on either side of him, shifted her knees up on either side of his hips, and started to push herself up. but she froze halfway when the action had her straddling and sliding along the erection that apparently had been cuddled between their bodies.

"i've been awake for a little while," he said wryly when her eyes shot to his with surprise.

alex blinked as she recalled a very similar scene from her dream. in the dream, that had been enough to make her decide on another go-round and take him into herself. in reality, she didn't think it would probably be that smart a move. she'd already made one huge mistake by sleeping with an employee, she wasn't going to compound it by-

her thoughts scattered as cale suddenly lifted his head to catch the nipple of one of the breasts she'd left unintentionally dangling in his face. eyes locked on his, alex simply knelt there, unable to force herself off him as she'd intended, not when that small action hadreawakened all of her earlier passion. dear god, how had he done that? she wondered dazedly, and then his hips shifted beneath her, rubbing his erection against her core, and her eyes shot open.

"ride me," cale whispered, allowing her nipple to slip from his lips. his hands moved to her hips then, and alex found herself doing as he asked, shifting herself back and down to take him inside her. she then relocated her hands to his chest to brace herself and began to move over him, still not understanding how the passion had erupted to full-blown life as it had, but no longer caring.

the distant sound of knocking stirred cale to wakefulness. he frowned briefly, wondering who it could be, but then recalled that he'd called bricker after waking from the first round of lovemaking with alex and asked him to bring him blood. it had seemed a good idea at the time. he'd only managed the one bag that morning and had found himself fighting not to bite her as his lips had played over her sweet skin. but he hadn't wanted to slip out and get it himself for fear that alex would wake and scurry off to her house or the restaurant, and then do her best to avoid being alone with him again.

actually, their first time together had been so quick and almost violently overwhelming that he'd feared it would scare the hell out of her and she'd do her level best not to see him again. having the blood brought to him had been the only way he could think to avoid both the possibility of her scampering away and his biting her.

bricker had agreed, but warned that it might takesome time for him to get there, so cale had carried alex to the couch and settled there with her to wait, not terribly surprised when she woke before the other man's arrival, and he'd again had to steel himself against biting her.

fortunately, that session had been even shorter than the first, mostly due to the fact that cale had been lying there for a very long time, holding alex in his arms, inhaling her scent, and thinking of all the things he wanted to do to her. by the time he'd sensed she was awake, cale had been as turned on as if he'd spent the entire time doing what he'd imagined, and that passion had quickly flooded her.

another round of knocking forced cale to action, and he carefully eased alex off his chest, and then got up to answer the summons. he was out of the office and halfway across the kitchen before he recalled that he was naked. his footsteps slowed then, but afraid bricker would knock again and wake alex, he eschewed returning for his clothes and hurried to the door.

"finally," bricker muttered when cale pushed it open. "i was beginning to think-" he paused abruptly as he noted cale's state of undress, and then began to grin. "i guess that answers one question. you two finally got it on, huh?"

cale scowled and snatched the cooler from him. he'd started to close the door when bricker said, "do you really want to keep that in there? alex might-"

cale cursed and pushed the door back open. "get in here. i'll have a bag or two, and then you can take it away."

"actually, i brought several bags this time. i was thinking you could put it in the trunk of your car," bricker said, stepping in from the cold. "just in case this turns into a three-day marathon session or something, and you need more."

"good idea," cale decided, pushing him back out the door again.

"hold on." bricker laughed. "geez, if i were the sensitive sort, i might be hurt by your eagerness to be rid of me and just leave. then you'd never even see the other delights i brought for you."

"what delights?" he asked suspiciously.

bricker held up the bags cale hadn't noticed he held in his other hand. "food and drink. a meal a la emile made especially for you two. as well as enough groceries to tide you over for a day or two."

cale stopped trying to push him out the door and sighed. "thank you. it was thoughtful."

"i'm a thoughtful guy," bricker said lightly, and carried the bags over to the counter. "i got you wine, fruit, sandwich stuff, and chips." he paused in unloading the food to grin and say, "i didn't buy any dessert, but i did get whipped cream in case you wanted to make a dessert of alex ... or vice versa."

"just when i was starting to like you again, you come out with a crack like that," cale said dryly, setting the cooler on the counter.

"oh, now, cale, you'll make me blush with bromance talk like that," bricker taunted, continuing with his unpacking.

"bromance?" cale asked with disgust. "what the hell is that?"

bricker opened his mouth to answer, but then shook his head and returned to unloading groceries. "i think i'll let you fret over it until you can look it up online."

"god, you are an ass sometimes," cale muttered, reaching for the lunchmeat, intending to put it in the fridge. he never got the chance; bricker slapped his hand, startling him into dropping the package.

"what are you doing?" the younger immortal snapped. "get away from the food. god, you're naked as a baby, and i know where your hands have been. get over to the sink and clean yourself up. i'll put this stuff away."

"you're worse than my mother," cale muttered, but instead of heading to the sink, he moved back into the office. alex was still sound asleep on the couch as he passed through on the way to the attached bathroom. she'd explained to him the night they'd painted the dining room that her office used to be the master suite with an attached bathroom. she'd considered ripping it out and making her office bigger, but then had decided it might come in handy and left it, figuring she could always have it removed later if it never got used.

it was getting used now, cale decided. the shower he took was very quick, and bricker was just putting the last of the food away when cale returned to the kitchen, hair damp and a towel wrapped around his waist. dressing had seemed a waste since he intended on waking alex with kisses and caresses as soon as he was rid of bricker.

"that's everything except the meals emile made. they're in insulated bags so should stay warm a bit longer," bricker commented, stepping out of the walkin refrigerator. "now, why don't you down a couple bags of blood, then i'll take the cooler back out and put it in your trunk for you before i go."

"you go ahead," cale said. "i can take the cooler out to the car when i'm done."

"fancy a frostbit dick, do you?" bricker asked, peering pointedly at his undressed state.

cale grimaced and walked to the cooler to retrieve a bag of blood. he'd just slapped the bag to his teeth when he heard movement from the office. his eyes widened, and he started to instinctively pull the bag away, but bricker was suddenly in front of him, staying his hand.

"don't panic," he hissed, keeping cale from removing the bag and making one hell of a mess. "you may not be able to control alex, but i can."

when cale glared at him over the bag, furious at the thought of his controlling her, bricker sighed.

"i'll just put it in her mind to have a shower like you did. that will give you time to finish feeding before she comes looking for you," he said reassuringly, and then when cale relaxed, he muttered, "you guys all get so touchy about anyone reading or controlling your women. what did you think i was going to do? make her do naked cartwheels out of the office and into the kitchen?"

when cale glowered at the very thought, bricker laughed and turned his head toward the office door.

cale couldn't see into the office from where he stood,but bricker was in a better position to do so, and he knew the younger immortal must be able to see alex because they had to be able to see mortals to read their minds and control them. that fact had him reaching for the bag at his teeth again. he was not having bricker looking at alex naked.

"settle down, hoss," bricker muttered, reaching out to stay his hand again. "i'm looking at her face and nothing else."

cale reluctantly forced himself to relax and waited.

"man, alex is one mixed-up chick at the moment," bricker muttered, apparently reading her thoughts. "by the way, sam said to warn you that some guy really messed with alex's head in culinary school and that she's dated casually but hasn't had a serious relationship since."

cale frowned at this news. alex hadn't mentioned anything like that, but then other than the night they'd painted the dining room, she'd been very reticent about herself, determined to keep their relationship on a professional footing.

"yeah, that whole professional footing thing is just what she's telling herself," bricker informed him, obviously reading his thoughts as well as alex's mind. "the truth is, she's afraid of getting hurt again, and she sensed from the start that you were the first man she'd met in a long time who could do that."

cale's eyes widened. that was good news ... sort of.

"i'll just send her to the shower, and then veil those fears of hers a little so she doesn't run screaming into the night before you can win her over."

cale frowned again, not at all sure he wanted bricker to veil her fears. it seemed unfair.

"yeah, but you really want me to because you desperately want her to be your life mate," bricker announced.

cale admitted guiltily that the man was right. he did want him to, but that didn't mean he should let him.

"too late," bricker announced, relaxing. he glanced to cale. "she's in the shower, and your bag is empty. get a fresh one. then give me your car keys."

cale ripped the empty bag from his teeth and stalked over to the cooler to get another. he then slapped it to his teeth as he stomped across the kitchen and into the office. not only did cale like to get his way as alex did, he also disliked taking direction, even if those directions were sensible.

alex stepped out of the shower, dried herself off, and then strode back into the office naked. once there, she picked up cale's shirt and pulled it on, wondering even as she did it why she wasn't pulling on her clothes. that had been her first intention on awaking alone in her office. this time cale hadn't been there to tempt her with a throbbing erection, and her first instinct had been to scramble off the couch and into her clothes, and then make a hasty retreat to figure out what the hell she was doing.

however, alex had barely finished pulling on her sweater when she'd suddenly found herself tugging it back off and heading for the shower. now a part of her brain was again urging her to pull on her clothesand make her escape, but it was less urgent, and more a suggestion. she found herself merely doing up the buttons on the front of the shirt and heading out into the kitchen.

cale was at the back door when she stepped into the room. dressed in only a towel that was barely wrapped about his waist, he was saying something to someone outside. curious, alex started toward him, but he finished his conversation and closed the door before she reached him.

"who was that?" she asked.

cale whirled from the door almost guiltily, but then quickly recovered and smiled as he crossed to meet her. his arms slid around her, drawing her close as his head lowered and despite the confusion in her mind, alex found herself lifting her face for his kiss, and then closing her eyes when his mouth covered her. a small sigh slid from her lips when it ended, and he pulled back to answer her question.

"bricker. he brought over a meal emile put together for us."

"really?" alex asked, her eyes blinking open with surprise. when he nodded, alex slid from his arms and, spotting the bag on the counter, she rushed over to peer inside. all there was to see was an insulated pack. two insulated packs, she realized as she pulled the top one out.

"i take it you're hungry?" cale asked with amusement, following her.

alex glanced at him with surprise. "aren't you? it'swell past dinnertime," she pointed out as she unzipped the pack. she then added in an embarrassed mutter, "we must have slept for a while."

"a little while," he said gently.

alex felt herself flush and tried to ignore it as she lifted the lid of the insulated bag and let it drop open. she couldn't hold back her "mmmm," of pleasure as the most incredible smell wafted up to tease her nose.

"smells good." cale leaned closer, lured in by the smell. "what is it?"

"i don't know," she admitted on a laugh as she lifted the covered container out. "but it smells to die for."

"yes, it does," cale agreed.

alex set the first dish on the counter, and then moved to retrieve the second insulated pack from the carrier bag. this one emitted a different aroma when she unzipped it and took out the dish.

"they're different," cale commented, glancing from one to the other.

alex shrugged as she set the second container down. "he probably sent two different kinds of dishes in case one or the other of us didn't like one of them."

cale nodded and began to open the first container as she took the lid off the second. they then took a minute to examine each dish.

"that's coq au vin, and some sort of salad," alex announced, pointing to his dish.

"chicken in wine?" cale murmured, then glanced to her dish, and asked, "and that one?"

"gratin dauphinois and basque chicken," she saidafter a moment, and then explained, "basically cheesy potatoes and chicken cooked with ham, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic."

"i don't recall those being on your menu," cale said with a frown.

"no." she smiled slightly. "but the ingredients are in the kitchen anyway. he probably wanted to make something different than what everyone was ordering."

cale nodded and then raised an eyebrow. "so which one do you want? "

"both," she admitted with a laugh. "let's share."

"sounds good," he decided and moved away to find silverware as he asked, "in the dining room?"

"sure." alex picked up both dishes and headed for the door to the dining room, but paused when cale suddenly went rushing past her.

"let me get the blinds."

"oh." alex paused in the doorway, thinking it was a good thing they'd arrived and been hung this last week. the moment the last one was closed, she moved to one of the tables closer to the kitchen door and set down the plates.

"good choice," cale complimented as he rejoined her. "this way we don't have to bother with the lights."

"my thoughts exactly," alex murmured, glancing around. the light splashing through the kitchen door and the long opening above the counter that the orders would be passed through gave off enough light for them to eat without having to turn on the overheads. it was actually nice, good ambience.

a moan from cale drew her gaze around, and she smiled when she saw him chewing. he'd started without her.

"this one is very good," he announced after swallowing.

"well, emile didn't get famous by cooking bad food," she said with a sigh.

"would you like to be as famous as he?" cale asked curiously as he watched her lift a forkful of basque chicken to her mouth.

alex paused to consider the question, and admitted, "probably every chef wants to be the next emile, but ..."

"but?" he prompted.

"but i don't think i'd care for the kind of fame he suffers," she admitted. when cale raised his eyebrows in question, she shrugged. "the man lives in a fishbowl. papparazzi follow him around like he's an actor, all of them just hoping and praying to catch him having one of his famous tantrums. he's forever landing in the news for one thing or another." she shook her head. "i wouldn't like that."

"hmm. no i guess not."

alex could feel him watching her as she ate and was suddenly incredibly self-conscious.

"how is it?" cale asked.

alex saw the hungry way he was watching her collect more food on her fork and nearly laughed aloud. it seemed her self-consciousness had been for nothing. it was the food he was lusting after now, not her.

"here," she said with a smile, and held the forkful of food out to him.

cale closed his hand around hers and helped steer the food to his mouth, the action forcing her to rise up slightly out of her seat. his eyes were on her as he did it, and little silver flames seemed to dance in their centers as he closed his lips over the forkful of food, and then slowly eased her hand back to remove the clean fork.

her hand still caught in his, alex found herself watching with fascination as he chewed and swallowed. then his tongue slid out to run over his lips, and he smiled. "delicious. the only thing that would make it better was if i were eating it off your body."

alex's eyes rounded at the images that brought to mind. when he then released her hand, she dropped back into her seat with a little bump, her gaze still locked with his.

"you should eat," he said solemnly. "you're going to need your energy."

alex opened her mouth, closed it again, and then dropped her gaze almost desperately to her plate. she was trying to regain her composure when he said, "try this."

she lifted her head reluctantly to find that he was holding out a forkful of coq au vin. swallowing, alex hesitated, and then leaned forward and opened her mouth to accept the offering. cale slid it in and her mouth closed automatically, but she was terribly aware of his eyes watching her as she did. when he began to withdraw the fork in a slow, leisurely fashion, her mind meandered its way into the gutter, thinking of his body withdrawing from hers during sex.

"is it hot in here?" alex asked faintly as soon as she'd swallowed. she managed to drag her gaze from his with some effort and return it to her plate.

"oui. a little," he murmured, and then suggested, "if you're uncomfortable, why don't you take off my shirt?"

her eyes shot to his again. he'd said it so smoothly, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. and considering that she'd had sex twice with him, alex supposed she shouldn't be so shocked at the prospect of being naked again. actually, she really wasn't. what was shocking her was that she wanted to do it. she wanted to stand up, move in front of him, and slowly undo every button of his shirt, shrug it off, and then jump on his lap and ride him like a cowgirl.

so much for a professional footing, she thought wryly, and then admitted that that had gone out the window hours ago.

"come here."

alex raised her head as he scooted his seat back and held out his hand. she hesitated, but then took the hand he offered and stood, allowing him to tug her gently around the table as he turned in his seat so that he sat it sideways. once he had her where he wanted her, cale released her hand and reached for the front of his shirt, quickly releasing button after button. he then eased the two flaps apart, the soft material brushing over her suddenly erect and very sensitive nipples.

"mmmm," he murmured, running a hand up over the skin of her belly to cup one full breast. "even emile can't compete with chef alex."

a small burst of nervous laughter slipped from her lips at his teasing, but it ended on a gasp as he leaned forward to press a kiss to her stomach. swallowing, she laced her fingers into his hair and cupped his head as his hands slid up the outside of her legs to smooth over her hips. his lips moved across her stomach from one side to the other, nibbling and tickling in a way that made her muscles jump and her toes curl into the carpeting.

"beautiful," he whispered against her flesh, then he slid one hand around to cup her behind and urge her closer as his lips moved down to run over her hipbone. the other hand, however, was trailing up her inner thigh, and alex bit her lip and closed her eyes as it skated across her skin toward the core of her. it never went there, however. instead, it shifted under her thigh and raised it even as he slid from the chair to kneel on the floor.

alex blinked her eyes open, clutching at his head a little desperately as he slid her one leg over his shoulder and ducked. when his tongue rasped over her tender flesh, she moaned and shuddered violently, the leg she was standing on beginning to tremble madly.

the man had a very talented mouth. she'd thought him a skilled kisser, but it was nothing compared to what he was doing now. it was as if he knew exactly where to touch to best pleasure her, when to exert pressure and when not to, when to go fast and when to slow down. within seconds, alex found herself a sad trembling mass and was sure she wouldn't even still be standing if not for his hands bracing her thighs. afraidshe was going to collapse on the poor man, she tugged at his hair to make him stop.

cale leaned back to peer up at her, hesitated, and then started to stand. relieved, alex reached for him then, and started to drop to her own knees, intending to earn herself a break by pleasuring him. but her knees had barely hit the floor and her mouth had only just closed around him when he caught her arms and dragged her back to her feet. alex allowed it more out of shock than anything. as brief as the contact between her mouth and his erection had been, it had sent a shock of pleasure through her as if she had been experiencing the caress herself.

"i-" alex began, but her attempt to tell him of her strange experience ended on a gasp as cale lifted her onto the table beside theirs. he moved between her legs and slid into her before that gasp ended. by the time they'd both cried out, and then passed out moments later, alex had already forgotten the strange incident.